As a Native British Cypriot living in Cyprus, I am constantly faced with different thoughts and opinions from varying people, about their views on Life in Cyprus. From the ubiquitous complainer to the consistently happy sun worshipper, Cyprus really is a mishmash of places, faces, beliefs and outlooks. And as more and more people enter the island for their fix of summer sun, I have assembled a collection of common observations, from people who have been here only once, to those who holiday here habitually:
‘Cyprus is very expensive, in particular for basic amenities, such as a simple food shop; to shoes and clothing’. I have to say I do agree with this standpoint, however I think it is important to acknowledge just how lucky we are when it comes to maintaining a home in comparison to many other places. Council tax? TV licence fees?
‘The best beaches are in Protaras and Ayia Napa’ (exclusive of the North). I absolutely concur (very beautiful), but the beach front amenities are also more limited there (coffee shops/bars and restaurants). Although the beaches in Limassol are nothing special, we are definitely spoilt for choice with the above.
‘The people are so miserable’. I don’t like to over generalise, so no comment here
‘Limassol is the most English speaking region’. Yay thank goodness! I’m pretty sure this is true and am truly grateful that this is the case. I’m not too sure I would emerge from a trip to the hairdressers with a smile on my face if it weren’t…
‘People are a law unto themselves’. As I see it, this is very true. People pretty much do what they want, when they want. This can work for you and against you, but whichever way you look at it, we do have a lot of freedom here.
‘The lifestyle is great’. Cyprus is fundamentally what you make of it. There is so much freedom out here that you can mould it into the life of your dreams, coupled with some obstacles along the way.
-And finally: “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” Animal cruelty is a colossal issue in Cyprus and seriously needs to be addressed by the government in order for Cyprus to be considered a ‘forward moving’ nation.
This, combined with other very pressing issues that also need to be addressed.
mariaincyprus 